May 16, 2009
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Northwestern eliminated Michigan from contention for a Big Ten tournament berth as the Wildcats downed the Wolverines 10-6 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at Rocky Miller Park.
Michigan got on the board first against Eric Jokisch in the top of the first as Kenny Fellows blooped a double to left, moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sac fly by Ryan LaMarre.
Northwestern's half of the first was a mirror image of Michigan's as Tommy Finn doubled to the wall in left-center, advanced on a bunt by Trevor Stevens and came home on Chris Lashmet's sac fly to right.
The Wolverines would reclaim the lead in the top of the third as Ryan LaMarre connected for a two-run homer to put the visitors back ahead 3-1. Michigan would tack on two more runs in the fourth on a squeeze bunt by Tim Kalczynski and an RBI single by Kenny Fellows.
The Wildcats got right back in the game in their half of the fourth, though, as Tony Vercelli socked his team-leading 11th home run of the year and Quentin Williams ripped a two-run double off the wall in right to get NU within 5-4. Eric Katzman entered the game with a 3.20 ERA and a team-leading seven wins for Michigan, but he lasted just 3 2/3 innings.
A solo home run by Mike Dufek in the top of the fifth put the Wolverines back up by two before Northwestern stormed back with four runs in its part of the frame to take the lead. A double by Finn and a single by Stevens gave the 'Cats runners at the corners with no one out. Lashmet followed with a run-scoring single up the middle and Vercelli knotted the score on a fielder's choice grounder. NU took the lead when pinch hitter Jake Wilson drew a bases-loaded walk and Paul Snieder made it 8-6 following an infield single.
Northwestern would extend its lead to four runs with a pair of tallies in the sixth. Stevens drew a free pass to start the inning and advanced to third on a single by Lashmet. Vercelli reached on fielder's choice to score Stevens and he'd later come home from second on a single to right by Wilson.
After struggling with his command early in the contest, Jokisch settled in after his team was able to give him the lead. The sophomore left-hander retired eight straight Wolverines from the sixth through eighth inning before allowing a pair of two-out hits in the eighth. However, Jokisch ended the threat by striking out Anthony Toth to complete his afternoon.
Michigan got the tying run to the plate with two out in the top of the ninth against Cole Livermore, but the sophomore righty struck out Alan Oaks to preserve the win.
NU finished with a 13-12 advantage in the hit column with Avila, Finn, Lashmet and Chad Noble recorded two apiece. Vercelli drove in three runs and scored three times.
Jokisch earned his fourth win of the season by scattering nine hits and allowing six runs while striking out four in his eight innings of work.